Story Highlights

Blake Griffin already signed a max extension, and James Harden is likely to land a large deal

Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings and Taj Gibson are among those who could become free agents

With a deadline looming at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday for players in the 2009 draft class to land contract extensions, the agent for Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday said it appears his client won't be among those landing a new deal.

"We've had conversations, but I don't feel like any progress has been made," Tony Dutt told USA Today Sports on Monday of the talks with the Sixers. "We haven't talked in a while."

Players who don't receive extensions will become restricted free agents next summer, with their "home" team then able to match any offer that comes their way. Los Angeles Clippers forward and former top pick Blake Griffin agreed to a max extension in early July, but he's likely to be among the few from his class.

Holiday, who continued to express a desire for an extension when speaking to local reporters on Friday, has averaged 13.7 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals since becoming a starter two seasons ago. But despite his steady improvement and a significant role in the Sixers' big-picture plans, the fact that he was seeking a maximum contract made a deal seem unlikely all along.

It's not a matter of whether the Sixers want the player who they took 17th out of UCLA running the team that now features center Andrew Bynum as the centerpiece, but whether they pay top dollar now or settle the matter in the summer when Holiday's market will be made clear. As is the case with any and all of the 2009 class, the chance remains — however slim — that an agreement can be reached in the 11th hour of negotiations.

New Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden is as close to a sure-thing on the extension front as this field is offering.

After Saturday's stunning trade that sent the reigning sixth man of the year and former No. 3 pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder to Houston, the shooting guard told news reporters on Sunday that he expects to sign an extension with the Rockets before the deadline. It's not yet known whether Houston is offering a four-year, $60 million max extension or a five-year deal worth nearly $80 million, though the latter seems more likely.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, the No. 7 pick, could follow suit with Harden, though two people with knowledge of his negotiations told USA TODAY Sports that a gap remains between the two sides. The people requested anonymity because the negotiations are ongoing.

Curry's agent, Jeff Austin, and Warriors general manager Bob Myers tabled talks during the preseason, in part so Myers could observe Curry's right ankle closely after his return from surgery in late April. But Curry, who has averaged 17.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game in three seasons but missed 40 of 66 games in the 2011-12 campaign, turned the ankle in preseason play on Oct. 19 and was told to rest until the regular season by coach Mark Jackson. It was hardly the strong start Curry wanted to prove he's worthy of a hefty long-term commitment.

Among the other players who may land extensions, the agents for Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson (No. 18 pick) and Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (No. 26) continue to negotiate with their clients' respective teams as well.

Lawson posted career highs in scoring (16.4 points per game), assists (6.6), rebounds (3.7), steals (1.3) and minutes (34.8) last season while helping Denver earn the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Gibson has been a key rotation player in all three of his Bulls seasons, averaging 7.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

Meanwhile, the two players who battled with Curry for rookie of the year honors in 2009 — the winner, Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, and the third-place finisher, Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings — may have to wait until next summer for their respective paydays. Evans' production has been on a steady decline since he averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds in his debut campaign, and both he and the Kings are aware that his earning power will go up if he shows improvement this season.

"In Tyreke's case, you can make X (amount of money) now, but if you want to make X-plus, then certain things have to happen," Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said in early October.

A person close to Jennings said on Monday that an extension was unlikely, but cautioned that anything remains possible until the deadline passes. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because talks were ongoing. But the Compton, Calif., native has made it clear he's intrigued by the possibility of playing elsewhere.

Jennings, who has averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals thus far, told ESPN.com in February that he planned on keeping his options open and was "doing my homework on big-market teams."